Starter for internal-combustion engines.



. HAMILTON.

STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I6, I913- Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

MIKE/MIMI Q/Vi-IM ass a o H. W. HAMILTON.

STARTER FoR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1913.

Patented. Aug. 3, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ftorn n y iinrrnn s'rarne ra.

I-LAI-KJRY W. HAMILTON, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE I-IAM-MEIX nr orat on.

MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

STARTER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au 3, I915,

Application filed June 16, 1913. Serial No. 773,873.

1}) all 1071 om it may concern:

Be it known that I, IIARRY IV. I'IAMIL'ION,

a citizen of'the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Starter for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification;

It is the object of my invention to provide a simple and positive starter for internal through a control valve to start the engine by direct fluid pressure, eitherby supplying the gas under pressure to the engine itself, preferably through a distributer if the engine is a multicylinder engine, or by supplying it to a suitable auxiliary or starting motor, which may be connected to the engine by an automatic clutch acting to transmit power only from the auxiliary motor to the engine. Under normal conditions, the pressure in the gas storage reservoir is restored mechanically by the subsequent engine operation, such restoring action ceasing automatically when a predetermincd pressure inthe reservoir is reached. However, when the demands on the gas reservoir are sutiicient to reduce the pressure therein below a second and lower predetermined value, as when there is ditliculty in getting the engine to operate under its own, power, the pressure in such reservoir is automatically maintained otherwise, as by the generation of gas, conven' iently in the reservoir itself, to maintain such pressure at an effective value. This gas generation, which is conveniently of carbon dioxid, is automatically controlled so 'as to maintain the gas pressure in the reservoir at asubstantially constant predetermined value within certain narrow limits,- and to replenish the pressure to a value which is constant within even narrower limits, and yet to protect against 8X cessive ri ,es in pressure from over-generation. In order to guard against waste and inefficiency, the gas reservoir may be automatically cut off from the engine whenever starting operation, the compression starting motor is used; and l mentary View showing a modifier.

the gas pressure falls below a third and still lower predetermined value, thus giving the gas generator time to build up a pressure h gh enough for efficiency. With the enerator shown, this time is ordinari" lo I few seconds. In order to facili the engine cylinder or cylinders may be lieved, at least when they are on their c pression strokes. as

The accompanying drawing ili 'ates m y 1nvent1on.

In this drawing, Figure 1 is a semi-diagra nmatm View showing the system in its entirety and some of the parts in structural 7 0 detail, the normal. mechanical mainten of the pressure in the gas reservoir produced by having one of the engin inders connected thereto through a so check valve; Fig. 2 is a sectiorfthroug distributer on the line 2--2 of Fig. 3 is another semi-diagrammatic r ing a modification in which an a.

which the gas pressure is norm lly .1IlD.lI)- tained by a separate pump operated by the engine.

The gas generator comprises a gas-gencrating tank 10, which is conveniently also the gas storage reservoir, in which a quantlty of soda or soda solution 1]. or other suitable substance, solid or liquid, is placed, and a liquid tank 12 for supplying dilute sulfuric acid or other reagent to the gas tank 10 to react with the soda or other substance in the-latter to produce carbon di- 0Xl(l or other gas, For exz'nnple, calcium carbid-and water may be used as the reagents in place of soda and sulfuric acid, in which case the gas produced is acetylene; but I now deem carbon dioxid gas preferable. The liquid tank 12 is usually considerably smaller than the gas tanl. 10, and the latter may be many times smaller than the tanks "ordinarily used in connection with starters operating by direct fluid pressure. The two tanks 10 and 12 are connected by a pipe 13 leading from the top of the gas tank 10 and conveniently provided With a hand shut off valve 14, a pipe 15 leading from the bottom of the liquid tank 12, and a pressure governor for controlling the pressure above the liquid in the tank 12. This governor comprises adiaphragm 19 11a clamped between two casing sections 20 and 21, a smaller diaphragm .22 clamped between the casing section20 and a third cas- "ing section 23, a valve stem 24 which passes through the diaphragm 22 and is clamped thereto by clamping nuts 25 and is provided with a head 26 which. bears against that side of the diaphragm 19 which is toward the casing section 20, and anfadjustable spring 27 which holds said head 26 against the diaphragm 19 and thus determines the pressure at which the pressure governor operates. The pipes 13 and 15 lead into the casing section 23 on the side of the diaphragm 22 remote from the diaphragm 19, the needle point on the valve stem 24 engaging its valve seat on the casing section 23 when the diaphragm 19 is moved against the action of the spring 27. This movement of the diaphragm 19 is obtained by connecting the casing section 21 with the top of the tank 10, 'as by means of a pipe 23 in which may be located a hand shut off valve 29. The. purpose of the diaphragm 22 is to prevent the pressure in the tank 10 from acting against the side of the diaphragm 19 which istoward the casing section 20, said latter casing section being either closed or provided with vent openings 30.

The tank 10 is provided with a removable head 31 at one end, or at each end if desired, this head 31 being held by swinging bolts 31' to a ring 32 brazed or otherwise firmly attached .to the body of the tank. The ring 32 and'head 31 preferably fit together-by intel-fitting ridges and grooves, as illustrated, to assist in making the joint gastight, suitable gaskets being provided where necessary. By removing the head or heads 31, the tank ma'y'easily be cleaned out when desired. A

removable screw plug 33 fits into a hole in the head 31, an inwardly opening check,

valve 31 being screwed into the inner end of this opening. By removing the plug 33 an initial charge of thesaine reagent as in the tank 12 may be introduced into the tank 10 by means of a suitable syringe projected cally generated gas. prevents the gas which is immediately genierated from escaping before the plug can into the opening, it it is desired to produce the initial pressure in the tank 10 by chemithrough the pipe 15, the pressure governor,

and the pipe 13 into the gas tank 10. This liquid reacts with the soda in the latter tank, and produces more gas, the pressure of which forces the liquidstill in the pipes' 13 and 15 back into the tank 12, gas fromthe tank 10 bubbling through the liquid in thetank 12 The check valve 3% to maintain, or replenish, the pressure above such liquid. W hen the pressure reaches 'a predetermined value in the tank 10, the dia- .phragm 19 is moved by such pressure against pressure above the liquid into the tank 12 from exceeding a predetermined value. As the capacity of the pipes-13 and 15 is comparatively small, the value of the pressure above the liquid in the tank 12 is thus maintained substantially constant, regardless of the quantity of the liquid withdrawn, and over-generation due to the successive building up of the pressure above the'liquid in the tank 12 is effectually prevented.

\Vhile the gas produced in the tank 10 may be used for many purposes, I use it in accordance with the present invention as an auxiliary for starting an internal combustion engine, as of an automobile, by direct pneumatic pressure. To this end, gas from the tank 10 is supplied through a pipe 35, which is preferably a branch pipe from the pipe 28 so that it may be controlled in common with the latter pipe by the hand shut off valve 29, and an automatic cut off valve to a supply pipe 36 leading to the engine through a hand control valve and, in the from the valve stem 24 of the pressure governor in that it has a flaring conical end 37 instead of a needle point, said flaring end coiiperating with a valve seat on a casing section 23 substantially identicalnvith the casing section 23 save that the valve'seat is on the side of the casing remote from the diaphragms. The pipes and 36 are connected to the casing section 23 in substantiallythe same manner as are the pipes 13 and 15 to the casing section 23 of the pressure governor.

The automatic cut off valve operates, in a manner exactly the reverse of that of the pressure governor, to close the connectionbetween the gas tank 10 and the pipe 36 when the pressure in such tank falls below a predetermined value. This predetermined value is lower than that at which the pressure governor causes the openirgnt its valve. This action of the autonx "itcut off valve preventsthe operator from wasting the gas by continuing to draw it from the tank 10 when the pressure therein is too low to be eflicient for starting the engine, and allows the generator time, only, a few seconds ordinarily being necessary, to build up the pressure to an etlicient value; then the automatic cut off valve opens and allows gas to be. drawn from the tank to continue the starting operation;

The pipe 36 leads to the casing 40 of the control valve. This casing has a central passage ii provided at its two ends with outwardly and oppositely facing valve seats, with which valve heads 42 and 4.3, which are mounted on a common valve stem 4+1 smaller than the passage 4:1 and are spaced farthel apart than are the valve seats, respectively cooperate. The valve head and its valve seat are conical, while the valve head 43 and its seat may be hat, the valve head 43 preferably being faced witlrrubber if) or other yieldable material on its side toward the valve seat. The valve stem e l of the control valve is suitably connected, as by a bell-crank lever ll to be moved by a rod 4-? and push knob 4-8,- the latter conveniently being mounted on the dash board of an a utomobile it the apparatus is used in con nection with an automobile. The control valve is biased, both by a spring 44) and by the pressure from the pipe 36 on the valve head 42, to hold said valve head against its seat and thus close the valve. When the knob-l8 is pushed, the valve is opened by the separation of the valve head from its seat, the valve head 43 at the same time being moved against its valve seat to prevent leakage around the valve stem. Theopening of the control valve opens the pipe 36 to a pipe 50, leading from the passage ll between the two valve seats.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. l, the pipe leads to an opening 51 on one side of the casing of the distributer, the other side of said casing being provided with a series of openings, 53 equidistant from the center of the casing and equally spaced apart, thenumber of said openings 53 being equal to the number of cylinders of the engine with which the device is associated, a four cylinder engine being illustrated. The openings 53 are connected by pipes 54 to valves 55 opening into the respective engine cylinders 1. 2, 3. and 4, said valves being normally closed and being operable by the rod 4-? when the latter is moved to open the control valve. The valves 55 may be substantially the saline in structure as the control valve, but here the gas pressure is admitted through the opening at the side of the valve casing and discharged through the opening at the end thereof, whereas in the control valve the gas is admitted through the opening at the end of the valve casing and. discharged through the opening at the side thereof. Thus in each valve 55, all pressure from the gas tank 10 being cut off when the control valve is closed, any pressure from theassociated engine cylinder acts at all times against the head of the valve, thereby aiding the spring in keeping the valve seated and preventing leakage when the starter is not being operated to start the motor. If desired, a shut off valve 29', separate from the valve 29, may be placed in the pipe 36, conveniently being located on the dashboard if the device is used on an automobile. The casing 52 of the .distributer is also provided with an opening 56 on the same side of the casing as but nearer the center thereof than are the openings 53, said opening 56 communicating, as by a conduit 57, withthe atmosphere.

Mounted within the casing 52 is a rotary disk 60, which is driven at a speed proportional to that of the engine shaft 51), conveniently at one-half engine speed if the en gine is of the four-cycle type. The disk (30 is thinner than the space within the casing 52, and when pressure is admitted through the pipe 50 and opening 51 is held lirmly against that side of the casing which is provided with the openings 53 and 56. When such pressure is relieved, the disk moves slightly away from the inner surface of the casing, and its center on the side of the disk toward the opening 51 bears against a bearing bell 61, thus reducing friction to a minimum. The disk (50 is provided with a notch (52 in its periphery, such notch being of such angular length that it successively opens the various openings to the space on the other side of such disk and thus to the pipe 50 during the time that the corresponding engine cylinders are on their explosion strokes, but closes the openings before the exhausts of such respective cylinders are opened. The disk 60 is provided on its side toward the openings 53 and 56 with a circular recess 63 which is provided with a sectoral wing (54. The circular recess continually covers the opening 56 during the rotation of the disk (30, and the wing 64: of such recess covers the various openings 53 successively. The wing (ii of this recess is so located that it opens the various engine cylinders to the atmosphere, through the openings 53 and 56, when such cylinders are on their compression strokes. This eliminates, or greatly reduces, the compress ing action within the cylinders, and'thus greatly diminishes the work required in starting the engine.

cess open the engine cylinders to the atmos phere during the whole of their compression strokes, as ample rehet is found to be obtained by connecting such cylinders to the sure in the tank 10 a mere auxiliary action,

and thus'to produce economy in chemicals, I provide other means for normally maintain- \Vhile permissible, it is not necessary that the wing (34 ot the reing the gas pressure in said tank above the predetermined value at which the liquid in tank 12 is admitted to the tank 10. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, this consists of a pipe 70 connecting the tank 10 and the engine cylinder 1, in which pipe 70, conveniently at the cylinder end thereof, is a check valve 71 which admits the passage of I gas only from the cylinder to the tank, and even that only in case the pressure in the tank is below a predetermined value. This operating with said valve seat 74 to open and close the valve. The lower end of the opening in the valve body isconnected to the cylinder 1 and the middle portion of such opening to the tank 10 through the 'pipe 70. The valve stem 75 is provided pump 78.

with an opening 76 connecting the middle enlarged portion of the opening 72' with that portion of said opening which is above the valve stein, so that the pressure from the tank .10l 'm'jay act upon the top of the valve stem to assist in holding the valve closed.

lVith this arrangement the operation of the engine causes the explosions in cylinder 1 to force part of the burned gases produced by such explosions through the check valve 71 and the pipe into the tank 10 whenever the pressure in said tank is below the predetermined value at which the check valve 71 may open. When the pressure in said tank equals or exceeds that value, the check alive 71 remains constantly closed. l

Instead of using the burned gases from one of the engine cylinders for replenishing the gas tank '10, such replenishing may be obtained by a pump 78 driven from the engine shaft 59, as shown in Fig. 4; a clutch 7 8 may be included in the mechanical connection between the engine shaft 59 and the Conveniently this pump 7 8 supplies air to the tank 10, though any; other desired gas may be supplied. The connection from the pump 78 to, the tank 10 is through a pipe 70, in which may be located a suitable check valve 79. When a predetermined pressure is reached in the tank 10, the reaction of such pressure on the pump causes the supply of gas from the latter to the tank to cease, or the clutch 7 3 may be disengaged. v

To start the engine, the ignition circuit. if desired, first being closed as is usually messes I done preparatory to-crankmg the engine,

the knob 48 is pushed to open tie control valve and the valves 55. This admits pressure from the tank 10, provided such pressure is sulliciently high to allow the automatic cut ofi valve to be open, through the opening 51 of the distributer,-the notch (52, and the proper opening 53 and pipe 5%, into that engine cylinder which is on its explosion stroke. At the same time, the pressure within the engine cylinder which is on its compression stroke is relieved through the recess (33 and its wing (34, cooperating with the opening 56 and pipe 57. The pressure thus supplied from the tank 10 to the cylinder on its explosion stroke operates the piston within said cylinder to move the engine forward, the disk 60 being rotated with. the engine at proper relative speed. As the disk (50 is rotated, gas from the tank 10 is admitted under pressure to the'engine cylinders in proper succession on their explosion strokes, the compression in each of. said cylinders being previously relieved, if desired, to diminish the work required. After a few revolutions of the engine shaft, the knob a8 may be released to permit the spring &9 to close the valves 55 and the control valve. The ignition circuit must now'be closed if it has not previously been closed.

The engine is now in its normal condition y and operates under its own power, the momenturn given it by the starting-carrying it past the point where the first explosion of compressed carbureted air takes place, justas in the case of cranking by hand. vVhile the starter gas 1 preferably use is carbon dioxid, which is'not explosive, and even if admitted to the firing c'i'iamber off the cylinder or cylinders of the engines itv the time I the ignition sparking takes place therein would not produce an explosion in the firing chamber or in the exhaust pipe or muliier, by my device the starter gas is not admitted to any cylinder while ignition sparking takes place therein; that is, it is not admitted by the distributor into any cylinder until after the piston on its firing stroke has passed its ignition point and is on its downward stroke, and it is exhausted or withdrawn from the cylinder by the succeeding exhaust stroke of the engine and before the next compression stroke and consequently before the next succee'l ignition spark takes place in such cylinder, the operation being the same in each separate cylinder of the engine.

As soon as the engine begins to operate under its own power, it begins to replenish the gas pressure within the tank 10, either normal predetermined maximum value. Under ordinary conditions, that is, when the engine starts under its own power with reasonable quickness, the amount of gas'drawn from the tank 10 is not sufficient to reduce the pressure in said tank below the predetermined value at which the pressure governor opens its valve, so that the gas pressure in the tank 10 is normally maintained at an efficient value by the replenishing action of the engine operation. However, when the engine starts with difliculty and an unusually large amount of gas is drawn from the tank 10 to produce such starting, the pressure in said tank falls sufiiciently low to cause the opening of the valve of the pressure governor and the passage of liquid from the tank 12 to the tank 10, which liquid reacts with the substance in said tank 10 to regenerate the gas pressure chemically.

Thus the chemical generation of thegas is an ever ready auxiliary operation which takes place whenever it is demanded. If,

-for any reason, as because the engine persistently fails to begin operating under its own power and repeated eilorts to start it are required, so much gas is drawn from the tank 1.0 that the'pressure therein is reduced below the pressure required for the opening of the valve of the pressure governor and to a lower predetermined value, the automatic cut oil valve is closed to give such pressure time to build up-by the chemical regeneration. As soon-as the pressure is built up above this lowest predetermined value, which. building up as heretofore shown is practically an instantaneous operation, the automatic cut-off valve opens to allow the starting operation to continue.

If desired, the initial creation of pressure in the tank 10 may be by the engine operation instead of' by the injection of a charge of the liquid reagent through the valve 3%.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, the starter gas from the tank 10 is not supplied directly to the engine cylinders to start the engine, but instead the distributer discharging to the engine cylinders is omitted, and the discharge side of the control valve is connected by a pipe 80 to an auxiliary or starting motor 81. This motor 81 may be of any desired type, but isconveniently a rotary motor, as shown; and it is conveniently mechanically connected to the shaft of the engine by a roller clutch 82, which transmits power from the motor 81'to the engine to start the latter, but not from the engine to the motor 81, thus allowing the latter to be at rest under normal conditions. \Vith the arrangement using the auxiliary or starting motor, the valves 55 discharge to the atmosphere or may be dispensed with entirely; and may if desired take the form of ordinary pet cocks in either arrangement.

Althoughnip-system comprises a number of moving parts, these parts are all so arranged that no packings are required at any moving joints. As a result, the difficulties caused by such packings are entirely eliminated.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a gas generator in which the production of gas is controlled by the pressure of the gas in the generator, such generator comprising two connected compartments respectively containing a liquid and another substance which react to produce the gas, a control valve for supplying gas from said generator to start said engine, and means whereby the engine operation replenishes the gas pressure.

2. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a gas generator in which the production of gas is controlled by the pressure of the gas in the generator, acontrol valve for supplying gas from said generator to start said engine, and means whereby the engine operation replenishes the gas pressure.

3. In combination, an internal combustion engine, a gas generator in which the production of gas is controlled by the pressure of the gas in the generator, a control valve for supplying gas from said generator to start said engine, means whereby the engine operation replenishes the gas pressure, and an automatic cut off valve for closing the discharge from the generator when the gas pressure in the generator falls below a predetermined value.

l. In combination, a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a gas generator in which the production of gas is controlled by the pressure of the gas in the generator, a control valve for supplying gas from said generator to said engine, means whereby the engine operation replenishes the gas pressure, a distributer operated from the engine and directing the gas supplied from the gas generator to the various engine cylinders on their explosion strokes, avalve associated with each engine cylinder and controlling its connection to the distributer, and a com mon operating means for said last named valves and said control valve, said distributer being provided with ports for connecting the engine cylinders to the atmosphere when they are on their compression strokes and the associated valves are open.

5. In combination, a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a gas generator in which the production of gas is controlled by the pressure ofthe gas in the generator, a control valve for supplying gas from said generator to said engine, means whereby the engine operation replenishes the gas pressure, and a distributer operated from the engine and directing the gas supplied from. the gas generator to the various engine cylinders on their explosion strokes, said dis- Q rin es tributer being provided with ports for connecting the engine cylinders to the atmosphere when they are on their compressed strokes and the associated valves are open.

6. In combination, a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a gas generator in which the production of gas is controlled by the pressure of the gas in the'generator, a

control valve for supplying gas froms'aid generator to said engine, means whereby the engine operation replenishes the gas pressure, a distributer operated from the engine and directing the gas supplied from the gas generator to the various engine cylinders on their explosion strokes, and a valve associated with each engine cylinder and controlling its connection to the distributer, said distributor being provided with ports for connecting the engine cylinders to-the atmosphere when they are on their compression strokes and the associated valves are open.

7. In combination, a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, a gas generator in which the production of gas is controlled by the pressure of the gas in the generator, a control valve for supplying gas from said generator to said engine, means whereby the engine operation replenishes the gas pressure, a distributer operated from the engine and directing the gas supplied from the gas generator to the various engine cylinders on their explosion strokes, a valve associated with each engine cylinder and controlling its connection to the distributer, and a common operating means for said last named valvesand said control valve.

8. In combination, a multi-cylinder inter-. nal combustion engine, a gas generator in which the production of gas is controlled by the pressure of the gas in the generator, a control valve for supplying gas from said generator to said engine, means whereby the engine operation replenishes the gas pressure, a distributer operated from the engine and directing the gas supplied from the gas generator to the various engine cylinders on their explosion strokes, and a valve associated with each engine cylinder and controlling its connection to the distributor.

9. An improvement inv the art of starting an internal combustion engine which consists in supplying gas under pressure to start the engine, replenishing'the gas pressure by the subsequent operation of the engine, and chemically generating gasto re- 1 plenish such pressure when the latter falls below a predeterminedvalue lower than the value at which the engine operation normally maintains such pressure.

10. An improvement in the art of starting an internal combustion engine which consists in supplying gas under pressure to start the engine, replenishing the gas pressure by the subsequent operation of the engine, and generating gas independently of the engine to replenish such pressure when the latter falls below a predetermined value lower than the 'value at which the engine operation normally maintains such pressure.

11. An improvement in the art of starting an internal combustion engine which consists in supplying gas under pressure'to start the engine, replenishing the pressure by the subsequent operation of the en gine, and chemically generating gas to replenish such pressure when the latter falls below apredetermined value.

12. An improvement in the art of starting an internal combustion engine which consists in supplying gas under pressure to start the engine, replenishing the gas pressure by the subsequent operation of the en gine, and generating gas independently of the engine. to replenish such pressure when the latter falls below a predetermined value.

13. In combination, a. multi-cylinder internal combustion. engine, a gas generator in which the production of gas is cpntrolled by the pressure of the gas in the generator, a control valve for supplying gas from said generator to said engine, means whereby the engine operation replenishes the gas pressure, and a distributer operated from the HARRY, W. HAMILTON Witnesses:

B. F. MEIXELL, G. B. SCHLEY. 

